Coffee Filters Peonies

(AKA, Coffee Filters find use in a Keurig-using home)

If you feel the urge to tell me these look more like carnations than peonies, please resist.  There are already those among us who have earned my wrath for the mere hint of it.

I know we're not the only family to say, "Wowzers!", but I'm guessing we're the only ones that have had to precisely define it.
I have the honor/privilege/utter joy of having one of the cutest little girls on earth as my niece (actually, all five of my nieces are brag-worthy).  This girl is incapable of hearing a new word or phrase without asking  what it means.  Woebetides anyone who spouts gibberish in front of her - she will call you out on it.
So she heard the kids and me saying "wowzers" and narrowed her big round eyes to slits: "Amma (Auntie) Samah, what does wowzers mean?"  I can't capture the earnestness with which she asks this question, it has to be seen to be believed.
I had to think quick before I lost her respect ... "Well, it actually equals double wow.  So instead of saying wow twice, you would say wowzers.  And if you say WOWzers, then it's like a triple wow."
She nodded gravely and then waddled off.  I later heard her explaining this new SAT word to her sister with no detail left out.

SO, with that explanation, I will say about this project: WOWZERS! (That's quadruple wow for those of you not paying attention).

Coffee Filter Flowers:

Peonies are my favorite flower.  They are like the southern belles of my garden, all over-the-top pretty and just wavin' and noddin' their heavy heads back and forth -practically waving their scented hankerchiefs at you.
But, my peonies are a distant memory here - and will be for several more months.  Maybe that's why I revisited these coffee filter peonies.  West-coasters whose roses are still in bloom, go away, this project is not for you.

 While there are -surprisingly- numerous blogs featuring this project, Michelle Marie's tutorial was invaluable at walking me through the steps.  But, like the annoying reviewer on Allrecipes.com, I will just add the steps that made the project more doable for a lazy accident-prone special crafter such as I am.

1. I didn't use two sizes of filters.  Not a principled decsion, my store just didn't have them.  So whatever you find, use.
2. After folding the filter the fourth fold and notching, don't unfold!  Notch (or round) the other side while still folding AND do the scuffing up bit also while still folded.  (see #3)
3. The scuffing up.  Michelle's tute was amazing, but left me high and dry on this most important step.   Here's a real peony:

You see how the edges are kind of rough?  Well to mimic that, what I did was while the circle was still folded, I held it firmly together and used the inside part of the scissors to very quickly snip and pull (not too hard).    Then I opened the scissors all the way and sort of rubbed them like a nail file over the rough edges.
4. On the first and second circle, I used an orange/yellow marker to mimic the stamen by drawing a starbursty-type thing in the middle.  It will only show a little, but enough to make me think it was worth it.
5. Every so often, make  a slit in the circle along where one "petal" naturally ends.  It will help with the twisting as well as making it look more natural.
6. Finally, glue is your best friend.  When you're done, look at your flower and if it's all kattywompas, pull out your scissors and prune, then put a tiny dab of glue and press parts of the layers together to get the shape you want.

And for you fellow Keurigers out there who don't have filters in your home.  Don't despair - and don't run out to the store.  If you have cream colored tissue paper, you can do the same thing.  Just lay 10 pieces together and cut out the circles in one cut (about 6" diameter).
The top picture shows the cream flower made with tissue paper.